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Blackwood Presbyterian Church. 
1751-1898 

HISTORICAL REVIEW 

Rev. F. R. Brace, D. D. 



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HISTORICAL REVIEW 



OF 



THE FIRST 



Presbyterian Church 



OF 



BLACKWOOD, N. J. 
A Sermon by Rev. F. R. Brace, D. D. 

DELIVERED AT THE CLOSE OF HIS PASTORATE 
OF THIRTY-ONE YEARS, 

March ist, 1898. 



CAMDEN, N. J. 
SINNICKSON CHEW & SONS, PRINTERS. 

i8q8. 



burdened with this world's goods, but the men and the 
women were strong, sturdy, liberty-loving men and women. 
Judging from such names as Blackwood, Fisher, McCul- 
loch, Flanigan, some of them were either Scotch or Scotch 
Irish. Others were from Wales, as the Morgan family, 
and others were from England, But they were all of the 
stuff necessary to lay foundations of liberty, and truth, 
and integrity, and strength for the future to build upon. 
They were determined to make a living for themselves in 
the almost unbroken wilderness, and at the same time to 
maintain their spiritual life by the observance of the pub- 
lic worship of God. We cannot tell when these early set- 
tlers first united in their worship, or where they held their 
first services. No doubt these services were held in some 
private dwelling, perhaps in a log cabin ; and as John 
Blackwood came from Presbyterian Scotland, no doubt 
they sang the old Scotch version of the Psalms to such 
tunes as Martyrs, Elgin, Dundee and French — good psalms 
and good tunes for strong, sturdy, pious souls. We know 
that a Presbyterian congregation existed before November 
yth, 1750, because on that day a call was presented by the 
congregation at the head of Timber Creek, (now Black- 
wood), conjointly with Woodbury, for the services of Mr. 
Benjamin Chesnutt, but how long before we cannot tell. 
My own opinion is that the people were called together to 
join in worship as soon as Mr. Blackwood settled here, 
which was in 1741. It is very evident that he, being an 
earnest, staunch, whole-souled, kirk-loving Presbyterian 
Christian, accustomed to worship God regularly in the kirk 
in his old home, would not be long in any place without 
trying to gather around him all those whose hearts longed 
for the worship of God in the sanctuary. However, the 
only historic fact of a positive nature that we have is, 
that a congregation of Presbyterians was here November 
7th, 1750, and that they united with the congregation at 
Woodbury in giving a call to Mr. Benjamin Chesnutt, 
which call was presented to him at a meeting of the Pres- 

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bytery of New Brunswick on that day in Philadelphia, 
but was not accepted by him until May 2 2d, 1751, at a 
meeting of the Presbytery at Neshaminy. Mr. Chesnutt 
was one of the six who constituted the first class to gradu- 
ate from the College of New Jersey, (now Princeton Uni- 
versity), November, 1748. After he accepted the call, 
steps were taken for his ordination. His examination 
took place in Philadelphia, July 17, by a committee com- 
posed of Revs. Gilbert Tennent, Richard Treat, Charles 
Beatty, John Campbell, Andrew Hunter and Daniel Law- 
rence, and on the first Tuesday of September following he 
was ordained at Woodbury by the imposition of hands and 
prayer, and installed pastor of the congregations of Wood- 
bury and Timber Creek. 

The people soon began to feel the necessity for a house 
of worship and " proposed to use their joint endeavors to 
erect a house or Presbyterian Church for public worship 
in some convenient place." Mr. Blackwood sold them, 
October 18, 1751, for a merely nominal amount, two shil- 
lings and sixpence, one acre of land upon which to build 
the house, this acre being a part of the present cemetery. 
Being an energetic Scotch Presbyterian, he was foremost in 
the work of building. The trustees to whom the ground 
was conveyed for the use of the congregation were Michael 
Fisher, Escj., Joseph Hedger, Peter Cheesman, John Mc- 
Colloch, Lazarus Pine and Henry Thorn. The deed says : 
" Whereas, a considerable number of religiously disposed 
persons of the Presbyterians, and such as adhere to them, 
united at present under the instruction of Mr. Benjamin 
Chesnutt, propose to erect a house of worship ;" also, " The 
principles of the congregation are to be consonant to the 
Westminster Confession of Faith. There must be no sep- 
aratists or dissenters." Subscriptions were obtained and 
Mr. Blackwood was employed to carry on the work of 
building. The church was erected near what we call 
Main Road, the pulpit being over the spot where Mr. Ches- 
nutt is buried, and was finished the next year, but the peo- 

(5) 



pie were slow to pay their subscriptions and so Mr. Black- 
wood carried a complaint to Presbytery five years afterward 
that he suffered much in his worldly interest by the re- 
fusal of many persons to pay their subscriptions. Presby. 
tery listened to his complaint and sent Rev. Daniel Law- 
rence to Timber Creek to preach and endeavor to get the 
people to pay their subscriptions, especially as the house 
was for the public use of the society and erected at their 
desire. Mr, Lawrence's sermon must have been a very 
effective one as there are are no further complaints by Mr. 
Blackwood. The church was thus put into a condition to 
carry on its work. The building was made of logs, but 
the worship was as acceptable to God as that which goes 
up from the stateliest cathedral. That old building stood 
until 1801. Mr. Chesnutt labored here for a little more 
than two years, building up the church, but failed to meet 
the requirements of the people in some matters, especially 
in neglecting to call them together for the purpose of se- 
lecting proper church officers and thus put them into what 
they called a "church state." Mr. Chesnutt was also dis- 
satisfied because there were.great deficiences in his support 
and so he asked the Presbytery of Abington* May 17, 1753, 
to liberate him. The consideration of the matter was de- 
ferred to a meeting held June of the same year, the con- 
gregation being notified to attend and give reasons why he 
should not be liberated. At this meeting, after hearing all 
parties, the Presbytery ordered the church to pay all arrear- 
aofcs and then liberated Mr. Chesnutt and gave him libertv 
to accept of a call to exercise his ministry elsewhere. He 
remained here until November, 1753, when he removed to 
New Providence, Montgomery county. Pa., at first giving 
one-half of his time to that field and the remaining half 
to two other places, the Forks of the Delaware, now Al- 
lentown, and Mt. Bethel, Pa., and Tehicken, afterwards 
called Tinicum, in Bucks county. Pa. From this time 

* The Presbytery of Abington was set off from the Presbytery of New 
Brunswick in the fall of 1751, and remained in existence until 1758. 

(6) 



until April 8, 1767, the congregation was dependent upon 
supplies, who gave intermittent services. In the fall of 
1 753) Rev. Neheiniah Greenman preached here one Sab- 
bath. In 1754, some time during the summer, Mr. Green - 
man preached one Sabbath. Rev. Daniel Lawrence preach- 
ed one Sabbath in the winter, Rev. Nehemiah Greenman 
and Rev. Daniel Lawrence one Sabbath each in the spring 
of 1755, Revs. Messrs. Lawrence and Andrew Hunter one 
Sabbath each the succeeding winter. Rev. Henry Martin 
one Sabbath in the summer of 1756, and Mr. Greenman 
one Sabbath the succeeding winter. There were no sup- 
plies then until the fall of 1758 when Messrs. Andrew 
Hunter, Nehemiah Greenman, Daniel Lawrence and Wil- 
liam Ramsey were appointed to supply each one Sabbath 
during the ensuing winter, either at Woodbury or Timber 
Creek, so that each place shall have equal shares. Rev. Mr. 
Hunter supplied the church one Sabbath in the summer of 
1756, and Mr. Hunter and Mr. Ramsay one Sabbath each 
in the winter. After this there were no supplies until 17625 
when Mr. Martin and Mr. Ramsay supplied the church 
each one Sabbath. In 1764 Rev. Henry Martin served the 
church one Sabbath, and Rev. John Brainerd two. Nov. 
7, 1764, a supplication went from the church for supplies 
and the administration of the Lord's Supper. In answer 
thereto Presbytery appointed the following supplies : Mr. 
Hunter one Sabbath, Mr. Brainerd two, Mr. Lawrence one, 
and Mr. Ramsay one, and Mr. Brainerd and Mr. Hunter to 
administer the sacrament in the spring, if the way be 
clear. Rev. Charles Beatty supplied the church one Sab- 
bath, and Rev. John Brainerd three Sabbaths during May 
and June, 1765. The Presbytery of Philadelphia met here 
July 30 of this year, and in the fall Revs. John Brainerd 
and Mr. Williams supplied one Sabbath each. In the 
spring of 1766 Mr. Chesnutt supplied the church one Sab- 
bath, the first time since November, 1753. In the summer 
Rev. John Brainerd supplied one Sabbath. 

During this year Mr. Chesnutt was sent by the Synod 

(7) 



of New York and Philadelphia to the southern colonies 
on important business. 

In October of this year an application was made to the 
Presbytery for one-half of Mr. Brainerd's labor, and for 
his pastoral charge of the congregation in that proportion. 
As Mr. Brainerd was a missionary of the Honorable 
Society in Scotland, they left the matter to him and them. 
Mr. Brainerd did not accept the charge. In April, 1767, 
an application was made to the Presbytery by Timber 
Creek and parts adjacent that Mr. Chesnutt might be sent 
to them in order to settlement. Mr. Chesnutt had re- 
turned from the southern colonies. He was willing to 
come back, and so Presbytery requested the congrega- 
tion of Timber Creek to make out a call for his services 
and whatever else may be necessary for his accommoda- 
tion and support. He was also appointed supply at 
Woodbury and Longacoming in such a proportion as may 
be agreed upon among themselves, and that each of those 
places ma}' unite in their call proposed. May 25th of 
this year a call was brought to the Presbytery, signed by 
the principal members of the congregations of Timber 
Creek and Longacoming for Mr. Chesnutt to take the 
pastoral charge of them, but as there were none from 
Woodbury attending the meeting, or who had their names 
affixed to that call, although it was expected that they 
would unite with the other congregations in being a part 
of Mr. Chesnutt's charge, the Presbytery thought that the 
way was not yet clear to proceed in that matter, and there- 
fore referred it to their next meeting and in the meantime 
appointed him to preach and perform pastoral duties to 
the people in full proportion as shall be agreed upon by 
them. Without any further action by the Presbytery, 
Mr. Chesnutt took charge of the field and labored here, 
and at Woodbury, until his death July 21, 1775. 

In the year 1765, October 18, the parsonage property on 
the Woodbury road, about three-fourths of a mile from the 
church, w^as bought for the use and the support and main- 

(8) 



tenance of the minister, who was always to have the right 
to obtain from it whatever he needed or desired. 

It was sold by David Morgan to Michael Fisher, Esq., 
David Roe, Lazarns Pine, Peter Cheesman, Randal W. 
Morgan, Sanuiel Blackwood and Abraham Roe, October 
t8, 1765, for the sum of one hundred and sixt5^-five 
pounds proclamation money, " under this trust and con- 
fidence, that these men shall and will from time to time, 
and at all times hereafter, permit and suffer the Minister 
and Elders of the Presbyterian Church of Timber Creek 
to receive and take the rents, issues and profits of the said 
estate, to and for the use, support and maintenance of 
such minister, who shall be duly approved of and ap- 
pointed by the First Presbytery of Philadelphia ; and also 
to sell and convev the same at such time and in such 
manner as the said Ministers and Elders, for the time 
being, or the major part of them, shall direct and appoint 
by instrument under their hand and seal." 

Express provision was made, both in this deed and in 
the one given by John Blackwood, that the property 
should never be used for the benefit of any other society 
than the Presbyterian. 

The purchase of this property, however, brought about 
a contention between this congregation and Woodbury, 
which resulted in a petition being sent to Presbytery by 
the people of Timber Creek, requesting Presbytery " to 
take them under their care, wdiich they explained to mean 
in regard to their union with Woodbury and to include a 
disunion from them in some things, wherein they have 
been considered in connection." 

Names of the petitioners : Lazarus Pine, Peter Chees- 
man, Samuel Perce, Randal Morgan, Isaac Flaningam, 
David Morgan, Richard Cheesman, Richard Cheesman, 
Jr., John Walling, Uriah Cheesman, Christopher Sickler, 
John Hedger, Jonathan Wilkins, Peter x String, Richard 
Cheesman, younger, Richard Smallwood, Israel WilliamSg, 
John Williams, Robert Maffett, William Jolh', Randal 

(9) 



jMarshall, Thomas Nightingale, Patrick Flaningani, Isaac 
^ Dilkes, George Morgan, Abraham Morgan, Benjamin ^ 
Brown, John Rodgers, James Perce, William Perce, Jacob 
X Bnrch, Samnel Wild, William w Kidd. 

In answer to which, Presbytery could only say that as 
there were no commissioners from Woodbury, and the 
minutes of the committee appointed to settle the matter 
were not present, they would defer it to their next meet- 
ing. The whole difference was afterwards amicably ad- 
justed by the two congregations on the following basis : , 

ist. " That the congreo-ations at the head of Timber 
creek and Woodbury be considered as separate congrega- 
tions, under the pastoral care of one minister. 

2d. " That Timber Creek and Woodbury, though separ- 
ate congregations, have but one session. 

3d. " That each congregation choose their own oflficers 
and keep separate subscriptions, and have equal service- 
of the ministerial labors of their minister. 

4th. " That the parsonage entirely belong to the con- 
gregation at the head of Timber Creek, and what money 
W'oodbury people have given or may give towards the 
parsonage land or building the house thereon, shall be 
repaid by Timber Creek people again when Woodbury 
people shall purchase a parsonage or build a house." 

This was in November, 1770. 

A house was built on this property, in which Mr. Ches- 
nutt lived until the end of his ministry. 

Lazarus Pine, whose name is the first on the petition to 
Presbytery, was a trustee in 1751, and seems to have held 
that office until his death, in 1796. He was a commis- 
sioner to Presbytery more than once to plead for supplies 
for the church during the years when it had no minister,, 
and seems to have been the chief man in bringing about 
the settlement of the differences between the congrega- 
tions of Timber Creek and Woodburv. After his fortv- 
five years of labor and anxiety for this church he fell on 
sleep, and rests in the graveyard adjoining this church 

(10) 



with the pastor, from whose lips he had so often heard the 
word of life. 

During the eight years of Mr. Chesnutt's second min- 
istry to this church, the congregation enjoyed the regular 
services of the sanctuary and the pastoral care of the man, 
who, in the good providence of God, had been the means 
of establishing the church in the beginning, but the time 
came for him to lay aside his work and go to his rest and 
reward, and so the body worn out let go its hold upon the 
spirit and it was quietly placed in its little chamber of 
rest to await the resurrection summons in the last dav. 

This whole region at that time was under Presbyterian 
influence. Indeed, there was no other church in this 
vicinity for many years after the gathering together of the 
Presbyterian congregation in 1750. Almost, if not quite 
all, the efforts put forth to supply the destitute in these 
regions with the gospel were put forth by the Presbyterian 
Church, which was then and is still a great missionary 
church. 

The death of Mr. Chesnutt occurred at a time of pfreat 
peril for the congregation. Days of trial and adversity 
were approaching, days of war and anxiety, and the con- 
gregation, left without a minister, declined and finally be- 
came almost extinct. 

How sad the change ! How often the few that were left 
must have looked back to the days when the services of 
God's house were enjoyed regularly ; when the sweet invi- 
tations of God's love, the blessed hope of heaven through 
the atonement of a Saviour, were uttered by the man of 
God. How often the cry of the Psalmist must have been 
on their lips : " As the hart panteth after the water brooks, 
so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth 
for God, for the living God ; when shall I come and appear 
before God ? Mv tears have been my meat dav and nieht, 
while they continually say unto me, where is thy God? 
When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me ; 
for I had gone with the multitude ; I went with them to 

(II) 



the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a 
multitude that kept hoh'-day." 

The deprivation of regular services was not the only 
sorrow these persons had to grieve over ; the place had be- 
come entirel)' demoralized, so that, according to Mr. Ever- 
itt, " drunkenness, rioting, profanity, and tlie debasing 
sports of the course and the ring abounded. It is even 
said that travelers feared to pass this way because of deeds 
of violence that had been perpetrated." Dark, dark days 
indeed, for the handful of Christians that was left. 

Once during this time efforts were made to secure a reg- 
lar supply, in 1779, May 21, when Mr. Pine requested the 
Presbytery that Mr. Greenman might be sent to them to 
preach one-fourth of his time at Woodbury and Timber 
Creek; but Mr. Greenman died soon after meeting of Pres- 
bytery. 

According to a statement of Miss Am}- Jaggard, who heard 
it from her father one Sunday, during the storm}' days of 
the Revolution, Rev. John Brainerd preached a patriotic 
sermon in the old church from Psalm 144, i : " Blessed be 
the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war 
and my fingers to fight." It stirred the patriotic feelings 
of the congregation and led to several enlisting in the 
Continental aruiv. 

Mr. Hunter, who supplied the two congregations oftener 
than any other minister, was appointed in 1781 a chaplain 
in the Continental army, and thus they were deprived of 
his labors. 

In 1786, Mr. Hunter was requested by Presbytery to 
supply Woodl)ury and Timber Creek as often as he could. 

In 1787, this request was again made. After this he 
settled at Woodbury, giving a portion of his time to this 
place. The number of families in the Woodbury congre- 
gation about 1798, as ascertained from an old report to 
Presbytery, was thirty, an increase of ten upon Mr. Ches- 
nutts' time. This report was evidently made by Mr. Hunter. 
It is on file among the old papers belonging to the Pres- 

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bytery of Philadelphia. Nothing is said of Timber Creek, 

and the families belonging to the congregation here mnst 

either have been inclnded in that number, or they were so 

few that Mr. H. thought it not worth while to mention 

them. The whole report is as follows : " The church of 

Woodbury was formed by about ten families in the year 

1732, and was occasionally supplied by the Rev. Mr. 

Andrews, of Philadelphia, and Mr. Evans, of Pittsgrove. 

Mr. Chesnutt was the first settled minister, under whose 

ministration the church increased to about twenty families. 

Between the time of his death, in 1775, and the year 1786, 

the number of Presbyterians diminished. Since the year 

1786 they have increased so that they are now about thirty 

families." But the membership of the church must have 

been small, very small indeed, as in the year 1801, some 

years later, there were only eight communicants on the 

whole field, embracing Woodbury and Timber Creek. 

Mr. Hunter was one of the members of the convention 
that met at Trenton, December, 1787, to ratify the Consti- 
tution of the United States. He was a very earnest 
patriot and always ready to respond to the call of his coun- 
try for any service he could render. 

In 1797 Mr. Hunter removed from the field and the 
congregation had to depend again upon occasional sup- 
plies for two years. Presbytery then appointed as occa- 
sional supplies Revs, Messrs. Nathaniel Harris, John 
Davenport, Uriah Dubois, Ethan Osborn, Samuel Lea- 
cock, William Clarkson and Dr. William M. Tennent. 

During this period the church worshipped in the little 
log building erected in the beginning of Mr. Chesnutt's 
ministry, but owing to want of care, at the end of fort}-- 
five years it was almost ready to fall to pieces. The floor 
was nearly all gone, the door was off its hinges, and most 
of the windows were out. According to the statement of 
an old lady, Mrs. Ann Pine, who died in 1872, aged 
eighty-seven years, the school children at recess made the 
old building their place for play in 1800 and 1801. Ac- 

(13) 



cording to our present ideas it was never a very comfort- 
able building- to sit in ; the seats were slabs placed upon 
wooden blocks, without any backs ; there was no stove and 
consequently no fire. Atmospheric warmth was not con- 
sidered conducive to piety. It was thought that it ren- 
dered the worshippers weak and nerveless and languid and 
so prevented an earnest worship. 

Up to 1799 only two Ruling Elders are known to have 
been ordained over the joint congregations of Woodbury 
and Timber Creek, John Sparks and Elijah Clark. Mr. 
Sparks was elected before 1768, but in what year we 
cannot tell, as there is no record of it, but in that year 
he represented the churches in the Synod of Philadel- 
phia. He is found as an Elder also at the meetings of 
the Presbytery in 1773, November . 3 ; 1791, April 19; 
1796, October 18 ; 1797, October 7 ; 1801, October 20. 
His death occurred in 1802, February 18. He was a man 
of prominence in the county. With Michael Fisher, 
another prominent member of the Presbyterian Church, 
and others, he was appointed on a committee, in 1763, to 
dispose of the fire arms of the county. In 1775, when the 
people of this country were aroused to protest against the 
oppressive measures of the English Government, he was 
chosen one of the committee of correspondence of Glou- 
cester county. That committee called a meeting of the 
inhabitants of the county to choose members to attend a 
meetino- of the Provincial Congress that was to be held 
in Trenton, May 22. Mr. Sparks, Elijah Clark, who was 
afterwards, in 1788, elected a Ruling Elder of the churches, 
and five others were chosen. Messrs. Sparks and Clark 
were both present at the session of that Congress and 
assisted to pass the resolution to raise one or more com- 
panies of militia in each township or corporation. At a 
later session that year, when both men were present, it 
was resolved to raise twenty-six regiments and levy a tax 
of ;^io,ooo for their support and for other war expenses. 
In the second Provincial Congress, which commenced its 

(14) 



session October 3, 1775, Elijah Clark was a member, out- 
spoken in his utterances for separation from what was 
then called the mother country. In the third Provin- 
cial Congress, which met at Burlington, June, 1776, and 
later in the month at Trenton, both John Sparks and 
Elijah Clark were present. At this session the delegates 
to the Continental Congress were appointed and instructed 
to support the just rights and liberties of America, and if 
necessary join the other delegates in a declaration of 
independence. During the sessions of this Congress, Mr. 
Clark returned to his home to look after the raising of 
companies to defend the country from the British army, 
resigning his seat November 6, 1777, to become Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel of the second battalion of a regiment of 
militia raised in old Gloucester county, of which Camden 
county was then part. Mr. Sparks remained to attend to 
the important duties of his position as a member of that 
Provincial Congress. On Jul}' 2, 1776, two days before 
the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Con- 
tinental Congress, this Provincial Congress of New Jersey 
adopted a constitution for the State, in which is this 
statement, " that all authority under George III is at an 
end, and freedom to worship God can never be taken 
away." Mr. Sparks gave all his influence to the cause of 
liberty until it was accomplished and a free nation estab- 
lished west of the x\tlantic ocean. 

Colonel Clark continued in active service during the 
war. With Mr. Richard Westcott he built a fort near the 
port of Little Egg Harbor, probably Tuckerton. At that 
time his home was at the forks of the Little Hgg Harbor 
river, near the present village of Batsto, from which place 
he moved to a residence near what is now called Barring- 
ton, where the late Charles Willitts lived This must 
have been after the war. Before moving he built a little 
meeting house at the forks of the Little Egg Harbor, 
where some of the most noted and most devoted ministers 
of the Presbyterian Church held service. After his elec- 

(15) 



tion as an Elder of the churches of Woodbury and Timber 
Creek, he took an active part in everything that related tO' 
the church up to the time of his death. He was one of 
the commissioners elected b}- the Presbytery of Philadel- 
phia to the first meeting of the General Assembly, and 
was elected to the same position in the years 1791, 1792, 
1793, 1794. He was present at almost every session of 
Presbytery from 1789 to 1795. 

In 1798, October 10, on a supplication sent from 
Woodbury for the services of Rev. Thomas Picton, the 
Presbytery appointed him to supply W^oodbury and Tim- 
ber Creek at his own discretion for the next six months. 
Then, having received a call from the united congregations, 
he was ordained 1799, June 13, in Philadelphia, and in- 
stalled pastor at Woodbury, October 18. Whether there 
were any members of the church living here at that time 
it is impossible to say, as the records are very imperfect. 
At a celebration of the Lord's Supper, in Woodbury, 
December 29, 1799, the first celebration, it is said, since 
Mr. Chesnutt's time, only eight persons partook of the 
memorials of a Savior's love, and not one of them from 
this congregation. It is to be feared that of the original 
number of members of Timber Creek church, not one 
was left, the light was entirely extinguished ; neverthe- 
less, in the hearts of some, though not professors of faith 
in Christ, there must have been some cravings after the 
blessed truths of the gospel, or the services of the minister 
of Christ would not have been sought after. It may have 
been that if there were any members here they thought 
the journey to Woodbury too great to go to worship there. 
The names of those who partook of the Sacrament at that 
time are : Rev. Thomas Picton, pastor of the united con- 
gregations ; Rev. John Davenport, pastor of Deerfield 
church ; John Sparks, elder ; Charles Ogden, elected elder 
the month before ; Mrs. Ruth Sparks, Mrs. Mary Selard, 
originally of Greenwich church, Cumberland county, Mrs. 
Ann Davenport and Mrs. Sarah Carl. In 1801, June 4, a 

(16) 




First Presbyterian Church, Blackwood, N. J. Erected i8oi. 



meeting of session was held in the church at Blackwood- 
town, the first mention of that name. Mr. Picton 
and Mr. Charles Ogden, Elder, were present. Mrs. 
Powell, first name not given, presented herself for admis- 
sion to the church, and was received. Thus the church 
again commenced its work in this community. Mr. Picton 
served the churches five years, and then, on account of in- 
adequate support, he had to leave and go to another field. 
The people were sorry to part with him, but felt unable to 
support him. Mr. Picton was a very large man and quite 
a learned one, and was greatly respected by the citizens of 
the community. He did not, however, seem to have any 
power to win souls to Christ. With the exception of 
Mrs. Powell, there was not an addition to this church 
during his ministry of five years. It may have been that 
the community had become so demoralized during the 
time of the war that the people had not recovered from it. 
Rev. B. S. Everitt, D. D.', in his historical sermon, says, 
" The community had sunk to a very low depth of degra- 
dation, and drunkenness and rioting and profanity and 
debasing sports abounded." During the ministry of Mr. 
Picton, a n«w church was built to take the place of the old 
log church that had gone to decay. The new one stood a 
little in the rear of this present building, and was used as 
a place of worship until the front part of the present edi- 
fice was put up in 1848, a very commodious little church, 
where much good service was done for the cause of Christ. 
In the erection of this building, in 1801, Mr. James Jag- 
gard, the grandfather of Messrs. Robert and John Jaggard, 
of our township, took the most active part. He was 
assisted by Messrs. R. W. Morgan, Charles Fisher and 
Samuel Pierce. It is most likely that Mr. Jaggard was a 
member of the church, although his name is not recorded. 
His daughter, Miss Amy Jaggard, who joined the church 
in 1827, ^"^ '^^^o remained a faithful, consistent member 
of the church during her whole life, dying in 1872, said 
that she always considered her father a member of the 

(17) 



church. He kept all the records of the church, but these 
were all lost in the destruction of his house by fire. Mr. 
Jaggard was a regular attendant and a liberal supporter of 
the church up to the time of his death. He used to ride 
to church on horseback with his daughter, Amy, on a 
pillion behind him — the old-fashioned way of traveling. 
It may be interesting to know the names and the places of 
residence of the inhabitants of the village at the beginning 
of the century. Mr. Jonathan Pine, the father of Mr. Ben- 
jamin Pine, of this village, a short time before he died, in 
1876, gave me the information. They are : 

Isaac Kay, who owned the grist mill and lived near it. 

David Eldridge, whose house and store were on the 
southwest corner of Main and Church streets, now the res- 
idence and store of Mr. Josiah Wood. 

Hannah Boggs, who lived on the northeast corner of the 
same streets. 

Samuel Pierce, wheelwright, just above the graveyard. 

Priscilla Hamilton, near the residence of Mr. Jonas 
Livermore. 

Jesse King, near the residence of the late Mr. Gerard 
Wood. f 

Robert Chew, owner of the tavern, who lived where 
Mr. Martin Williams now lives. 

Joseph Williams, blacksmith, on the site of the house of 
the late Mr. Richard Stafford. 

David Beckly, near the residence of Mrs. George Jones. 

Trial Westcott, where Mr. R. C. Morgan lives. 

Samuel Cheesman, where the store of Mr. Williams 
stands. 

John Morgan, on the site of Mrs. Synnott's residence. 

John Morgan, the second of that name, where the 
house belonging to the church stands. At his house those 
who helped to raise the frame of the church, in 1801, took 
dinner. 

William Farrar, where Mr. Godfrey lives. At this 



(IS) 



house Rev. Nathaniel Todd, pastor of the church from 
1808 to 18 1 5, sometimes held service. 

After the resignation of Mr. Picton, the church was for 
four years without a pastor. During the rest of the year, 
1804, occasional services were held by Revs. George C. 
Potts, David Edwards and Dr. Tennent. In 1805 only 
one service is reported at Blackwoodtown, conducted by 
Dr. Blair. In 1806 services were held thirteen Sabbaths, 
by the following ministers : Revs. John Clark, James 
Boyd, John Davenport, Ethan Osborne, Jonathan Free- 
man, Abijah Davis, James P. Wilson. In 1807, Revs. 
Abijah Davis, Archibald Alexander, John Jones, Jonathan 
Freeman, James Boyd, John Clark and Ethan Osborne 
conducted the services, amounting to twelve. In the year 
1808, up to May, five services were held, the following 
ministers conducting them : Revs. John Jones, an evange- 
list ; Bradford Marcy, of Pittsgrove ; Dr. Tennent, of 
Abington, and Dr. Wilson, of the First Church, Philadel- 
phia. In May, Rev. Nathaniel Todd was secured to min- 
ister to the two churches. He acted as Stated Supply 
until May, 1809, when he was installed pastor. Mr. Todd 
came from the Presbytery of Albany. There is nothing 
on record respecting his pastorate. He is reported to have 
had excellent preaching abilities and a wonderful gift in 
prayer. So remarkable were his prayers, that many of the 
Society of Friends attended the service of the church to 
have their hearts carried up to the throne of God on the 
wings of these prayers. In the month of October, 1815, 
at his own request, he was released from the pastorate by 
Presbytery, the trouble being the old one of inadequate 
support. He went to Easton, Maryland, to take charge of 
an academy. 

Rev. William Rafferty, from the Presbytery of Hudson, 
presented himself as a candidate for the pastorate of 
the two churches, in 181 6. He was received by the Pres- 
bytery of Philadelphia May 17, 1816, and was installed 
pastor June 25. He remained until the winter of 181 8-19 

(19) 



when he left them and went to Annapolis without leave of 
Presbytery. At his request, and the request of the churches, 
the pastoral relation was dissolved. At the session of 
Presbytery at Pittsgrove, October 21, 1819, Mr. Rafferty, 
for long and frequent absence from Presbytery and leaving 
his charge without permission, was cited to appear before 
Presbytery at the next stated meeting. At that meeting, 
April 19, 1820, Mr. Rafferty reported that he had connected 
himself with the Protestant Episcopal Church in the 
United States, whereupon it was resolved " that, although 
he had deported himself in an irregular manner, yet the 
Presbytery deemed it inexpedient, considering the circum- 
stances of the case, to censure him, and do hereby declare 
his connection hitherto subsisting in the Presbytery to be 
dissolved." 

Mr. Rafferty was an Irishman, an excellent scholar and 
a good doctor, qui te flowery in his speech and attractive as 
a preacher. 

For several years the church had to depend upon sup- 
plies, which were, however, more frequently furnished 
them. The following ministers were sent : Revs. Drs. 
James P. Wilson and Jacob J. Janeway and Messrs. George 
Chandler, Thomas H. Skinner, Jonathan Freeman, Thomas 
J. Biggs, James K. Burch, Charles Hodge, George W. Jan- 
vier, Francis G. Ballantyne, Robert Steel, Robert B. Bel- 
ville, Drs. Ezra S. Ely, William Neill, and Messrs. C. 
Ogden, John W. Scott, Joseph H. Jones, William Ash- 
mead", George C. Potts, Joseph Barr, William M. Engles, 
Nicholas Patterson, John H. Vancourt and John H. Ken- 
nedy, each holding one or tw^o services. 

In 1822, August 31, a meeting of the church at Wood- 
bury was held, at which there were fourteen male mem- 
bers of Woodbury congregation and one from Blackwood- 
town, Mr. Samuel. Pierce. Mr. Pierce proposed to the 
meeting that in the event of the settlement of a minister 
at this place he would undertake, for one year to pay one 
hundred dollars as a part of his salary, provided he will 

(20) 



preach at the church in Blackwoodtown in the forenoon 
of every third Sabbath. This proposition was nnani- 
mously acceded to. This shows, however, that this con- 
gregation had fallen in numbers and ability very far below 
what it was in Mr. Chesnutt's time, when it enjoyed his 
ministrations one-half of the time. Mr. Pierce, who made 
the proposition from Blackwoodtown, was at this time 
the most active member of the church. His house near 
Almonesson, not far from the crossing of the Clement's 
Bridge road with the old road to Woodbury, where the 
late Mr. James Pierce lived, was the stopping place for 
all the Presbyterian ministers who traveled between 
Blackwoodtown and Woodbury. He was elected in 1827 
an Elder of this church, but died the same year, before his 
ordination. The date of his reception into the church is 
not recorded, nor that of John Goddard and Margaret 
Goddard, all of whom were members of the church before 
182 1. Rev. Ira Ingraham, who came from Addison Asso- 
ciation, Congregational, in the State of Vermont, and 
was received into the Presbytery of Philadelphia in 1823, 
October 22, became the Stated Supply, having com- 
menced the previous June. His salary was $600. Pre- 
vious to this time the churches had given a call to Rev. 
John Kennedy, of Belfast, Ireland, who had been per- 
mitted to preach within the bounds of the Presbytery, but 
he declined it. At the end of six months Mr. Ingraham 
removed to New York, and was afterwards dismissed to 
Londonderry Presbytery, whose churches were principally 
in Hew Hampshire. 

In the beginning of the year 1824, the Woodbury church 
became so disheartened that they contemplated disbanding 
and uniting with the Episcopal Churcli at Clarksboro. Dr. 
Joseph Fithian, so long an earnest and devoted member 
and elder of the church at Woodbury, felt that the church 
ought not to be given up, and wrote to Rev. x^rchibald Alex- 
ander, of Princeton, stating the deplorable condition of the 
church, and asking him to send a minister to them. A 

(21) 



committee consisting of E. D. Woodruff and Robert L. 
Armstrong-, was afterwards appointed by the congregation 
to confer with Drs, Alexander and Miller, for the supply 
of the pulpit. This correspondence and conference result- 
ed in getting the services of Rev. Joseph H. Jones for one 
year. He commenced his ministry June i, 1824. His 
labors were crowned with success. We cannot tell how 
many were added to the Woodbury church, but to 
this church there were added six on profession of their 
faith in Christ — Mrs. Rebecca Pierce, Martha Pierce, Eliza- 
beth Dotterer, Rebecca Chew, Sarah Pierce and Eleanor 
Morgan — making a church of nine members. Three 
months after the arrival of Mr. Jones on the field, Charles 
Ogden, the only Elder of the two churches, died. He had 
seen all the severe struggles of the two little churches for 
existence during twenty-five years and the almost hopeless 
attempt to maintain them. Just on the dawn of their suc- 
cessful life he passed away to become one of the members 
of the church in heaven, where struggles and disappoint- 
ments are not known. At the end of his year, Mr. Jones 
signified his intention to leave and to go to New Bruns- 
wick, to become pastor of the Presbyterian Church there. 
Mr. Jones afterwards became Dr. Jones, and after several 
successful pastorates was chosen corresponding secretary 
of the Board of Relief for Disabled Ministers, in which 
position he did excellent work for the worn out ser- 
vants of the church. He never lost his interest in this 
church. Regularly, he made an annual visit, to the de- 
light of all the people. During his ministry, December 
21, 1824, Henry Roe and William Tatem were elected 
Ruling Elders of the two churches and were ordained by 
Rev. Joseph H. Jones, assisted by Rev. John W. Scott. 

Rev. Sylvester Scovel, a member of the Presbytery of 
Albany, who was stopping at the house of Dr. Fithian at 
this time, was immediately invited to take charge of the 
churches. A committee was appointed to wait on him. 
They met in the County Clerk's office several days after and 

(22) 



agreed to invite him to serve the two churches, at a salary 
of four hundred and fifty dollars. As Mr. Scovel had gone 
to New York the committee sent the invitation by mail. 
Mr. Scovel answered it, saying that he would accept the in- 
vitation and commence his labors June i. The churches 
found it difficult to raise the amount of salary they had 
offered and were obliged to apply to the Board of Home 
Missions for assistance. A grant of one hundred dollars 
was made by the Board. This, with three hundred from 
Woodbury and one hundred from Blackwoodtown, made 
Mr. Scovel's salary five hundred dollars, when he got it, 
which was not always the case. He remained in charge 
three ^-ears and three months and then left September i, 
1828. He was never installed pastor, but was Stated Sup- 
ply. During his ministry twelve were added to the 
church : Major Peter Cheesman, Mrs. Sarah Cheesman, 
Miss Sarah Ann Cheesman, Mrs. Margaret Pierce, Miss 
Amy Jaggard, Mrs. Beulah Elkinton Wilkins, Mrs. 
Sophia Charles, Mrs. Elizabeth Morgan, Mrs. Matilda 
Ashton Jaggard, Mrs. Hannah Zane, Mrs. Cynthia Ann 
Jaggard and Miss Sarah Ann Marshall. Two members 
died during Mr. Scovel's ministry, one was dismissed to 
a sister church and one was suspended. The membership 
of the church was nineteen when Mr. Scovel left. In 
1828, May 3, Major Peter Cheesman was ordained Polder 
over this church, thus giving it an entirely separate 
organization from Woodbury, and better preparing it for 
its great work. For about seventy-seven years it and 
Woodbury had been under one session, but now each felt 
the necessity of being independent and reaching out to 
larger work for the Master. Major Cheesman acted as a 
member of the session until June 31, 1834. After that 
his name does not appear in the minutes of the church. 
At his own request he was dismissed to the Williamstown 
Church, June 29, 1844. The churches did not want to 
part with Mr. Scovel, for he was a very earnest and elo- 
quent preacher, but he felt that he must go. He was the 

(23) 



father of Rev. Sylvester Scovel, D. D., President of the 
University of Wooster, Ohio, and Hon. James M. Scovel, 
the distingnished lawyer and orator, of Camden, N. J., 
and grandfather of Hon. H. S. Scovel, of Haddonfield, 
lately a member of the House of Assembly of this State. 

Rev. David R. Preston, of Philadelphia, was the next 
minister, commencing his work on the departure of Mr. 
Scovel. He remained only seven Sabbaths, leaving Octo- 
ber 20, 1828. 

Mr. J. D. Pickands, a licentiate of the Presbytery of 
Philadelphia, supplied the church the next twelve months. 
There is no record of the results of his ministry, which 
ceased October 25, 1829. 

Rev. Charles Williamson, a licentiate of the Presbytery 
of Philadelphia also, was secured as a stated supply after 
the departure of Mr. Pickands. His compensation was six 
dollars per Sabbath. After preaching about a month a 
call was made out for him by the churches, Woodbury 
promising three hundred dollars a year and Blackwood- 
town one hundred dollars. The call was accepted, and he 
was installed pastor of the two churches at Woodbury, 
January 14, 1830. He continued his work until October 
26, 1836, when because of inadequate support he left, the 
churches being in arrears to him one hundred and fifty 
dollars. During his ministry twelve were received into 
the church — Randal W. Morgan, Samuel Coles, Mrs. 
Sarah Morgan, Mrs. Mar}^ Ann Coles, Miss Margaretta 
Rambo, Mrs. Mercy Locke, Mrs. Rebecca Dotterer, Daniel 
Buck, Miss Elizabeth North, Miss Anna Maria Foster, 
Miss Anna Northrup and Charles Stevenson. Of all those 
received into the church up to the time of the close of Mr. 
Williamson's ministry not one is living. 

Mr. Williamson was a large man, and though easy of 
disposition, was very conservative. He was one of the 
signers of the famous protest against the decision of Pres- 
bytery permitting the First Presbyterian Church of Phila- 
delphia to prosecute a call before the Presbytery of Eliza- 

(24) 



bethtown for the services of Rev. iVlbert Barnes ; the 
commencement of a contest that finally sncceeded in 
rending the chnrch into two parties — Old School and 
New School, which rent, however, was happily healed in 
1869. 

During this ministry, Mr. Randal W. Morgan was 
elected and ordained Elder, August 10, 1834, and served 
the church faithfully and honorably fourteen years, when 
he passed to his reward. 

In 1834, the owner of the Good Intent property put up 
a house of worship on the hill back of the store at Good 
Intent, and in this building Rev. Charles Williamson and 
his successor. Rev, Samuel Blythe, preached part of the 
time. The building was afterwards given to the Baptists, 
who removed it and put it up on its present site. 

About 1832, a Sunday-school was organized in the mill 
at Good Intent by Mr. Jonas Livermore, who had come 
from Massachusetts in 1830. When the church on the 
hill was built, the Sunday-school was removed thither, and 
was held there until it was taken to the old Presbyterian 
Church, which stood in the rear of the present one. 

The next pastor was the Rev. Samuel D. Blythe. After 
preaching a few times for the churches, a call was made out 
for him, which he accepted. He commenced his work July 
4, 1837, and was installed pastor iVugust 20, 1838. His 
salary was eight hundred dollars, five hundred from Wood- 
bury, and three hundred from Blackwoodtown. Immedi- 
ately previous to his coming to this field, he was pastor of 
the Seventh Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia. He was 
a Kentuckian by birth, and had the vigor and earnestness 
and eloquence that the natives of that State are said to 
have. His health having failed him in his. city pastorate, 
he thought a change to the country would benefit him, 
and so he accepted the call to these churches. During his 
ministry of six years the two churches grew rapidly. 
About a month after the beginning of his ministry, Mr. 
Jonas Livermore, who had come from Massachusetts in 

(25) 



1830, was received as a communicant member, and in the 
month of September he and Mr. Samuel Coles were elected 
Ruling Elders, and the next month both were ordained 
and installed. 

Mr. Blythe was too hard a worker for one with so weak 
a physical frame. He not only preached twice regularly 
every Sunday, at Woodbury in the morning and here in 
the afternoon, but taught in the academy at Woodbury 
through the week, and delivered numerous temperance 
lectures in different parts of the county. He was a very 
able and eloquent speaker, and drew large numbers to hear 
him. But the work was too much for him, and so the 
body gave out, and he passed to his reward and to the rest 
that remaineth for the people of God, June 23, 1843, aged 
only thirty-seven years. His labors were greatly blessed 
of God, and were the means of firmly establishing the 
church in this community. Thirty-four members were 
received into this church by him, of whom only one, Mr. 
lyivermore, remains with us. 

During the ministry of Mr. Blythe the Presbytery of 
West Jersey was formed in 1839, ^^^ being one of the con- 
stituent members. 

Of the two Ruling Elders ordained and installed by Mr. 
Blythe, Mr. Coles held the ofhce until the day of his 
death, January 25, 1853, a man greatly esteemed by the 
church. Mr. Livermore is still with us, having been a 
member and an Elder sixty-one years. He is, although 
ninety-six years old, vigorous and sound in body and in 
mind, and the most regular attendant upon the services of 
the church. It is a rare thing to find his place vacant, 
either in the Sabbath congregation or the weekly prayer 
meeting. He has been a most liberal supporter of the 
church. For seventeen years he was the superintendent 
of the Sunday-school, and for seventeen years more he was 
a teacher. It is impossible to tell the value of this Sun- 
day-school organization to the church through these years. 
God's truth has been instilled into hundreds, yes, thou- 

(26) 



sands of yonng- people, to the building up of their spiritual 
character and the better fitting them for the performance 
of life's duties here and for the service of God here and 
hereafter. The successors in the superintendency of the 
Sunday-school are George Jones, H. K. Bugbee, Rev. B. 
S. Everitt, D. D., Rev. Charles Wood, D. D., Charles Pier- 
son, Rev. F. R. Brace, D. D., Samuel N. Chase, Frederic 
H, Bateman and Elmer E. Wilson. 

Just one year prior to Mr. Blythe's settlement there 
came to this section, locating at what was called Spring 
Mills, now Grenloch, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bateman and 
family from Connecticut, and the year after, the same 
year that Mr. Blythe came, Mr. and Mrs. William Bate- 
man and family, both families soon uniting with the 
church, adding greatly to its strength. 

In September, 1839, the total membership of the church 
was fifty-three. As the membership of the church in- 
creased, the people began to think of the propriety of 
having a minister who should give all his time to this 
church. The interests of the Redeemer's kingdom 
seemed to them to require it ; and although not strong 
in numbers or in pecuniary ability, they finally determined 
to undertake the work of supporting a minister, who 
should devote himself to this particular field. Ninety- 
two years they had been connected with Woodbury. 
They each had needed the help of the other, but now 
each was strong enough to go alone, and so the separa- 
tion took place. It was necessary for the growth of each 
church. Independence is necessary for the growth and 
perfection of every body, whether physical or spiritual. 
It cannot reach up to a condition where the full powers 
of an organized body can be used without it. It was a 
very wise action taken by this church when it deter- 
mined to go alone. Its success since then has proven its 
wisdom. The church was not strong financially at that 
time, but the members had the right spirit. 

The services of Rev. John Burtt were secured March 

(27) 



19, 1 843- He labored here sixteen years, breaking to the 
people the bread of life. He helped to lay a solid foun- 
dation for the church to build upon. Some here still re- 
member his clear, forcible presentations of divine truth. 
He was a Scotchman by birth and possessed the acute, ana- 
lytical reasoning mind of the Scotch. In the beginning 
of his ministry he preached at Salem, N. J. He afterwards 
was one of the founders of The Presbyterian^ a sterling 
religious newspaper still coming to our households. One 
of his sons is doiug earnest work for the Master in the 
upper part of this state. During his service of sixteen 
years seventy persons were received into the church. 
There were sixty-two communicant members when Mr. 
Burtt left. Of them only seven are still with us. In the 
year 1848, Mr. Burtt signified to the Session his desire to 
leave, but after due consideration it was thought best that 
he should continue his labors, provided the church would 
proceed to the erection of a new edifice for public wor- 
ship. This was agreed upon and Mr. Burtt remained. 
Ground south of the church property was purchased from 
Hurff Woodrow, on Church street, and the same year a 
stone edifice erected, the front part of the present build- 
ing. It was occupied the succeeding winter. A resi- 
dence or manse for the -minister was commenced in 1854 
and finished in 1855, and then occupied by Mr. Burtt. 
This faithful man of God continued to serve the church 
until the spring of 1859, when, on account of failing 
health, he requested the consent of Session to the resig- 
nation of his relation as stated supply. His resignation 
was accepted, whereupon he removed to Salem, N. J., the 
place of his first ministerial labors, residing there until 
the time of his death, in 1866. 

Of the seventy persons who were received into the 
church, only six are with us now. The others have 
died or been dismissed to other churches. Mr. William 
Stevenson was elected and ordained a Ruling Elder 
June 18, 1848. After having served the church faith- 

(28) 



fully for thirty-oiTe years, he fell on sleep. Messrs. 
Samuel Eckel and Charles Stevenson were elected Ruling 
Elders March 27, 1852. Mr. Eckel served the church less 
than two years, God having called him to the church 
above January 15, 1854. Mr. Charles Stevenson served in 
the eldership thirty-seven years, always faithful and de- 
voted to the w^elfare of the church where he had wor- 
shipped for over fifty years. The last few years of his life 
he resided in Camden. They were years of failing health 
and great feebleness, but he was always sustained by an 
unfaltering trust in God. He died August i, 1889. Mr. 
Randal E. Morgan was elected to the eldership March 26, 
1854, and continued to serve in this position twenty-six 
3^ears. His period of service was marked by untiring zeal 
for the prosperity of the church. In the fall of 1869 he 
was elected Sheriff of the county and moved with his 
family to Camden, where he has resided ever since. At 
his own request he was dismissed to the First Presbyterian 
Church of Camden, N. J., where he now is a Ruling 
Elder. 

The successor of Mr. Burtt was Rev. Benjamin S. 
Everitt, who became pastor June 20, 1859, having been 
ordained and installed on that day. He was a devoted 
and energetic servant of Christ, always at work for the 
Master. He was wonderfully successful in winning souls. 
One hundred and four persons w^ere added to the church 
during his ministry of five years, fifty-four of them in the 
year i860. Only fifteen of those received are still num- 
bered with us. 

The congregation grew so rapidly during his ministry 
that it was considered necessary to enlarge the church edi- 
fice. About eighteen feet were added to it, making the 
building its present size. This was done in 1861. 

Mr. Everitt resigned his pastorate May 15, 1864, and 
removed to Stroudsburg, where he preached several years. 
At the close of his pastorate there he returned to New 
Jersey. His principal field of labor has been Jamesburg, 

(29) 



where he was pastor for more than twenty years. He 
has been for many years the permanent clerk of the 
Synod of New Jersey, and in the fall of 1896 was elected 
its Moderator. He has also had the honorary title of D. 
D. conferred upon him. 

During Dr. Everitt's ministry Mr. David E. Marshall 
and Mr. Charles E. Pierson were elected Ruling Elders — 
April 22, i860. Mr. Pierson acted as Elder until his re- 
moval to Woodbury, December 8, 1872. Mr. Marshall 
served the church in this ofhce until he was cut down by 
death, July 2, 1877. He was one of the most enterprising 
men in the community, and one of the most liberal sup- 
porters of the church. Although his business was a very 
extended one, he never allowed it to intrude upon his Sab- 
bath quiet. He was a thorough, going Puritan in his 
observance of the Sabbath. He was also a regular attend- 
ant upon the services of the Sabbath and the mid-week 
meeting ; in fact, never out of his place except when pre- 
vented by sickness. It is a fact worthy of notice, that 
faithfulness in the performance of religious duties, in at- 
tendance upon the services of the house of God, conscien- 
tiously giving God the worship which is his due, acting 
and dealing honestly with God, as well as with men, are 
indications of a character that is sure to be successful in 
any business undertaken. That faithfulness and honesty 
will be carried into every work and deed and necessarily 
result in success. 

August 16, Rev. Charles Wood became pastor, coming 
here from Absecon, N. J., a very genial, social man, and a 
very able preacher. His ministry was blessed with the 
addition of twenty-two persons to the church, of whom 
only two are still members of this church. Mr. Wood 
remained pastor only about two and a half years, and then 
removed to Brooklyn, to become pastor of City Park 
Chapel, where he labored most earnestly for the salvation 
of the perishing for twenty years. He is now an associate 
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, New York. His 

(30) 



alma mater conferred the degree of D. D. upon him in the 
year 1890. 

During the pastorates of Drs. Everett and Wood, the 
Sunday-school grew into a very prosperous condition. 
The community was in a state of financial prosperity 
greater than ever before or since, and the population was 
larger. The Good Intent Mills were in operation, giving 
employment to a large number of persons, and bringing a 
large amount of money into the town every week. Since 
then the mills have stopped running, the population has 
decreased, and money has been much scarcer. 

March i, 1867, the present pastor commenced his 
labors. His previous field of labor was in Atlantic 
county, including Hammonton, Elwood, Pleasant Mills 
and also Waterford, in Camden , county. The thirty 
years that have passed away have seen joy and sorrow, 
success and failure. Of the members of the church who 
greeted me and my family so kindly on my coming here, 
we have laid to rest forty-seven, most of them earnest and 
faithful, but they have ceased from their labors and their 
works do follow them. Only twenty-seven, who were 
members when I came, are here to-day. Two hundred 
and fifty-eight persons have been received into the commu- 
nion of the church, of whom one hundred and thirty-eight 
are still members, making the membership of the church 
one hundred and sixty-five. Thirty of those who have 
been received have died ; forty-four have been dismissed 
to other churches ; twenty-eight, who have removed from 
the place and of whom we know little or nothing, have 
been placed on a separate roll, and seven have had their 
names erased from the roll. Thus one hundred and ten 
persons who have been received during the present pas- 
torate, which closes to-day in its active character, are no 
longer on our roll. The rite of baptism has been adminis- 
tered to two hundred and seventeen persons, of whom one 
hundred and thirty-five were adults and eighty-two young 
children. One hundred and eighty couples have been 

(31) 



united in marriage. Three hundred and twenty-one fu- 
neral services have been conducted. Three thousand two 
hundred sermons have been preached. About two thou- 
sand prayer meetings have been held. Sometimes I have 
preached three sermons on the Lord's Day ; sometimes I 
have preached three times and taught a Bible class beside. 
Every Sunday, except when on a short vacation of two 
weeks in the summer, or when I have been ill, and when 
I went on a trip to the far East, I have either preached 
three times or preached twice and taught a Bible class or 
superintended the Sunday-school. During the thirty-one 
years of my pastorate I have been out of my pulpit about 
six months altogether from illness, and three months when 
traveling abroad. 

In the year 1873, May 4, Mr. Azariah Eastlack, having 
been elected a Ruling Elder April 3, to serve three years, 
was ordained, serving the church during that time. On 
account of infirm health he declined a re-election. He 
has passed away to that world where the inhabitants never 
say they are sick. IMr. Richard B. Stevenson and Mr. 
Samuel N. Chase were elected Ruling Elders, July 16, 
1876, and were ordained July 23 following. Mr. Chase 
was a faithful and energetic worker in the church, in the 
Sunday-school, and also in the prayer meeting for many 
years. After a lingering and very painful illness, he went 
to the Master whom he had served so faithfully while on 
earth. Mr. Stevenson is still with us, true to the church, 
to the pastor, to all his duties. 

Two Deacons were elected April 3, and ordained May 4, 
1873 — Mr. Richard Stevenson and Mr. Van Buren Giffin. 
Mr. Giffin removed to Atlantic City, and was dismissed to 
the First Presbyterian Church of that place in 1889. 

In 1879, the necessity for a room for Sunday-school pur- 
poses and also for prayer meetings and social gather- 
ings pressed itself upon the church, and so an effort was 
put forth to raise subscriptions to build one. This effort 
was so successful that in a very short time the work 

(32) 



was commenced. The contract was given to Mr. E. A. 
Ward to put np the building, the price being seventeen 
hundred dollars. The size is forty-eight feet by twenty- 
four feet, with a ceiling eighteen feet in height running 
across the back part of the church. The work was well 
done as time testifies. With the furniture the whole cost 
was a little less than two thousand dollars. The whole 
amount was raised among the members of the church and 
congregation, and the Sunday-school room was dedicated 
free from debt. Rev. V. D. Reed, D. D., at that time 
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Camden, preached 
the dedicatory sermon January i, 1881. The erection of 
this building was the last work done by Mr. Ward. He 
was one of the victims of the terrible Typhus Fever 
epidemic that raged in the almshouse that winter. Being 
there attending to some slight repairs, he was seized with 
the fever and died in a short time. 

The Sunday-school, or, as it is generally called, lecture 
room, has been a great help in the work of the church, 
and we wonder now how we ever got along without it. 
The only regret is that we did not make it larger, as it is 
too small for some of our gatherings. It was said at its 
dedication : " This is to be a place for religious worship, 
for mental improvement, for social enjoyment." I think I 
can say that it has been all this. I think I can truly say 
that young and old have always been welcome to use it for 
any of these purposes. 

In this year the name of Blackwoodtown was changed 
to Blackwood. 

For many years I felt that the inside walls of the church, 
which had been plastered on the stone, ought to be 
stripped. Whenever the weather was cold, and a fire was 
made in the heater, the warm air, coming in contact with 
the cold walls condensed the moisture, and it ran down 
the walls in streams. This not only disfigured the walls, 
but was injurious to the health of the worshippers. 
Money was easily raised to make the needed improvement. 

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The walls were stripped and plastered and the room greatly 
improved at a cost of about five hundred dollars. 

In 1885, many of the members of the church, thinking 
that the interior of the church looked bare and uninviting, 
determined to have it frescoed and carpeted. The neces- 
sary funds were soon raised. Mr. Bucher, of Salem, was 
engaged to do the frescoing. He performed it to the entire 
satisfaction of the church. The floor was also carpeted 
and the building made more worthy of the congregation 
that worship in it. This last year another carpet was put 
down. The spirit of improvement did not stop here, and 
so the next year the same work was done for the lecture 
room, at a cost of about two hundred and twenty-five 
dollars. We have two rooms of which we need not be 
ashamed. 

In 1869, the graveyard not being large enough, a lot of 
ground adjoining it, with a house on it, was purchased 
from Mr. Jesse Pratt, for twenty-five hundred dollars. A 
bequest of two thousand dollars, which was left the church 
by Mr. E. P. Middleton, but which was reduced to eigh- 
teen hundred dollars by reason of an inheritance tax, was, 
in part, used to pay for it. A debt of one thousand dollars 
was left on the property in the shape of a mortgage. This 
was liquidated in part by the payment, in a short time, of 
one hundred dollars to the widow of Mr. Pratt, and in 1865 
by a bequest of Mr. Hiram Wilkins, who left the church 
five hundred dollars, the interest to be used towards the 
payment of the pastor's salary. Mr. Wilkins had bought 
the mortgage. The church received the bequest of Mr. 
Wilkins and then paid it and the balance to the executors 
of his estate, and took up the mortgage and had it can- 
celled. Thirty dollars of the rent from the house on the 
property are devoted annually towards the payment of the 
pastor's salary in order to carry out Mr. Wilkins' bequest. 
Last year another addition was made to the graveyard, as 
there were no lots for sale in the old part. The ground 

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adjoining-, facing on Church street, was purchased from Mr. 
Benjamin Williams. Payment has not yet been made, and 
therefore a debt of four hundred dollars remains. I do 
not think it need remain lono-. If some one with a little 
faith and zeal would so througfh the congreg^ation, the 
money could be raised very easily.* 

In November, 1887, a Young People's Society of Chris- 
tian Endeavor was organized. Mr. Elmer Wilson was the 
first president. This society has been a great help to the 
church. There has been a development of the spiritual 
life and spiritual activities of the young members, which 
has been very gratifying. All of the active members take 
some part in nearly all of their meetings. Some voices 
are heard sending up petitions to the dear Saviour, some 
reading some precious passage from God's word, or the 
thought of some devoted servant of God, or giving utter- 
ance to the thoughts that have been put into their minds 
by the Spirit of God, whose help they have sought. God 
has blessed this society from the very beginning, and will 
continue to bless it if the members only, continue faithful 
and earnest. It is now, and will continue to be, a school 
in which the members will be trained for the glorious 
work of the church on earth and the church in heaven. 
May God's precious and fruitful blessings ever rest upon it. 

A Junior C. E. Society has also been formed, and out 
of it there have been recruits, not only for the older 
society, but also for the church. A Young People's Band, 
now called the P'oreign Missionary Society, has done a 
splendid work for the great missionary cause, sending 
every year about fifty dollars to the Board of Foreign 
Missions. 

More than forty years ago a Ladies' Sewing Society 
was organized. Its object then was to assist a needy 
student for the ministry. Since then it has done much 
work in that line, as well as in raising money for the 



*NoTE. — Some wood lots have been sold since March i, and the amount 
received is to be paid on the debt. 

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renovation of the chnrch at various times. It ought to 
be kept in active service. So long as its splendid activi- 
ties were used for objects outside of our own community 
it prospered. God's blessing was upon it, and it was one 
of the influences to bind the church together in harmon- 
ious work. 

The benevolence of the church has been manifested 
during these years. This is one of the best evidences of 
the true piety of the followers of Jesus Christ, and of their 
loyalty to him and to his cause. From 1867 to 1876, 
years of temporal prosperity, the contributions to benevo- 
lent causes, outside of our own community, ranged from 
$780 to ^1,500 per year. They decreased then to the year 
1881, when they amounted to only ^289. They have 
varied since then between $336 and. $545. The spiritual- 
ity and beneficence of the church always go hand in hand. 
Large giving by the members of the church will always 
prove Malachi III : 10, to be true. The total amount 
raised for benevolent causes has been $18,174. The total 
amount for congregational purposes, including the salary 
of the pastor, has been $42,607. 

Besides my work for the church, I have been interested 
and taken an active part in whatever has been for the 
benefit of the community, in the education of the chil- 
dren, the erection of your school-house, the helping of 
young men and young women to a higher education, the 
building of the railroad, the organization of the fire depart- 
ment, the establishment of a building association. For 
twenty years I was Superintendent of Public Schools in 
the county, and had the honor of devising the uniform 
course of studies for the county, a system which now, 
under the patronage of the State Board of Education, is 
in operation in every county of the State, and which has 
found its way into a large number of the States. I say 
not these things to boast, but merely to show that my life 
has been largely given to the church and to the commu- 
nity to help build them up. I kuow there have been many 

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imperfections in my work and life — no one knows it as 
well as I do ; bnt I think I can honestly say, that the chief 
thonght in my mind these thirty-one years has been 
Christ, the chnrch, the community and the perishing 
world for which Christ died. 

In 1895 the Synod of New Jersey honored me by elect- 
ing me its moderator. 

And now I have run over the history of the church for 
one hundred and forty-eight years. It has been a very 
varying one. Sometimes it seemed as though the life of 
the church would be extinguished, and then it would 
manifest itself in vigor once more. This day my position 
as active pastor of this church terminates. The thirty-one 
years that I have been here seem like a dream, so swiftly 
have they gone, and yet the prayers that we have joined 
in sending up to the throne of God, the hymns we have 
sung together, the word of God that has been read, the 
sermons that have been preached and heard, have all gone 
as real, substantial factors into the building up of our real 
life, which is spiritual, making it better fitted for the 
service of God here, the service of God hereafter, making 
each life under the blessing of God a spiritual temple for 
God to dwell in, a spiritual temple to show forth his 
power, his wisdom, his love. 

What days of joy we have seen together in the various 
homes and in the church ! What bright, beaming eyes 
when the home or the church has been decorated with 
flowers and the tones of the organ or piano have sounded 
out to add to the pleasure, the happiness of those who 
were about to start out on the journey of life together ! 
What hours of pleasure at our picnics and social gather- 
ings ! What seasons of quiet delight by firesides ! What 
seasons of unspeakable joy when in the house of prayer 
one and another have yielded themselves to the service of 
Christ ! And what days of sadness when the sable wings 
of the angel of death have darkened the homes and when 
we have stood by the open grave to lay the beloved ones 

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where kindly word could never more reach them, where 
loving hands could never more minister to them ! But they 
are all gone, yet they have cemented our hearts together 
in a bond that can never be broken. 

Most of the faces that I looked into when I came among 
you are radiant with the glory of God in the upper sanc- 
tuary. Their toils are ended, their work is finished, their 
battles are fought, their race is run. The white robe 
covers them, the harp of melody is in their hand, the 
crown is on their head. You are here to carry on the 
work that has dropped out of their hands. Be brave, be 
strong, be faithful, trust God, be liberal, live in love and 
the blessing of the God of love will ever be upon you. 
Rally around your new pastor, the one whom you have 
chosen to be your future leader, pray for him regularly, 
earnestly. Carry out the pledge ^-ou made to God, when 
you, gave yourselves to him, the pledge that you would be 
true to him, true to the church, faithful in attending all 
the means of grace, the services and ordinances of God's 
church, and then when your race is run, not only will the 
church on earth sav " Well done," but heaven will ring- 
with the refrain, " Well done," and the Master himself, he 
with the brow scarred for you, with the pierced hands and 
feet for you, will say, with sweetest, most loving voice, 
"Well done, enter into the joy of the your Lord." May 
the best, the richest blessings of Almighty God, Father, 
Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you all. 

The writer of this review has obtained valuable material from the 
records of the Presbyteries of New Brunswick, Abington, and Philadel- 
phia, historical sermons of Rev. Allen H. Brown and Rev. B. S. Everitt, 
D.D., and the Session Book and Congregational Record of the Presby- 
terian Church of Woodbury, for which he makes due acknowledgment. 

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